Identifying and defining a research problem

1. Identifying and Defining a Research Problem

2. Problem!
A question raised for inquiry,
consideration or solution

3. What do we do with Problems?
•Ignore them
•Talk about them
•Try to solve them

4. What is a Research Problem?
A research problem is an issue or concern
that an investigator presents and justifies
in a research study.

5. What is a research problem?
A problem that someone would like to research
Anything that a person find unsatisfactory or
unsettling, a difficulty of some sort, a state of
affairs that need to be changed.
A problems involve areas of concerns to
researchers, for condition they want to improve,
difficulties they want to eliminate, questions for
which they want to seek answers.

6. How to Identify a Research Problem
•Search for a problem .
•Read more about your problem.
•Take notes or keep a research journal.
•Seek professional advice.
•Keep the topic interesting.

7. What to do: problem identification and definition
•Follow a general procedure.
•identifying the problem situation.
•Study the available research.
•Write statement identifying and defining
the problem.
•Have colleagues read your final
statement identifying and defining the
problem situation.

8. One of the most challenging task is defining the research
problem such that the research yields information that directly
addresses the management issues.
The end result should be for management to understand the
information fully and take action based on it.
Clearly identification and definition of marketing research
problem cannot be overstated.

9. Importance of marketing research problem
4)Fulfillment of clients need.
All the effort, time and money will be wasted if the
problem is misunderstood.
2) Better communication and more involvement in problem
definition are the most frequently ways of improving the
usefulness of research.

10. Management Decision Problem
Definition: problem confronting the decision maker. It asks
“What does the decision maker needs to do”.
Action oriented process
How should the loss of market share be arrested?
Should the market be segmented differently?
Should a new product be introduced?
Should the promotional budget be increased?

11. Marketing Research Problem
Definition: A problem that entails determining what
information is to be needed and how it can be obtained
effectively.
Marketing research problem is information oriented.

12. Departmental store patronage project
DM: we have seen the decline in the patronage of our store.
R: How do you know that?
DM : well, it is reflected in our sales and market share.
R: Why do you think that your patronage has declined?
Dm : I wish I knew.
R: What about competition?
DM: I suspect we are better than competitors on some factors
and worse on others.
R: How do the customer view your store?
DM: I think most of them positively, altough we may have a
weak area or two.

13. Management Decision Problem
What should be done to improve the patronage of the store.
Marketing Research Problem
Determine the relative strengths and weakness of sears, vis-
à-vis other major competitors, with respect to factors that
influence store patronage.

14. General rules to be followed in defining the research
problem is that the definition should
3)Allow the researcher to obtain all the information needed to
address the management decision problem.
4) Guide the researcher in proceeding with the research.
Don'ts
8)Research problem should not be defined too broadly.
Example : Develop market share for a brand.
Improve company’s image.
2) Research problem should not be defined too narrowly.

15. Internet and Computer Application.
3)Internet can help the researcher gain access to the DM.
4)DMs and researcher can video chat.
5) Search engine can be used to collect secondary data
quickly.
6)Company’s past information can be found through
internet.
7) The internet can also be used to enhance researcher’s
ability to obtain advice from industry experts.

16. Why is the Research Problem
Important?
•Establishes importance of topic
•Creates reader interest
•Focuses reader’s attention on how study
will add to literature

17. Can and Should the Problem Be
Researched?
•Can you study the problem?
–Do you have access to the research site?
–Do you have the time, resources and skills to
carry out the research?
•Should you study the problem?
–Does it advance knowledge?
–Does it contribute to practice?

18. Five Elements of a
“Problem Statement”
Topic
Evidence for
the
Issue
Deficiencies
in the
Evidence
What
Remedying
the Deficiencies
will do for
Select
Audiences
FLOW OF IDEAS
Subject
Area
Educational
Issue
•A Concern
•A Problem
•Something
that needs a
solution
•Evidence from
the literature
•Evidence from
practical
experiences
•In this body of
evidence, what is
missing?
•What do we
need to know
more about?
How will
addressing
what we need to
know help:
– researchers
– educators
– policy makers
– individuals like
those in the study

19. Writing Problem Statements
•Tells what will be (or was) done
•Identifies variables & relationships to be
studied

20. Ask yourself
•To help IDENTIFY your research problem for your
thesis, ask yourself such questions as:
What was the issue/problem you want to study?
What is the concern being addressed “behind” this study?
Why do you want to undertake this study?
Why is this study important to the scholarly community?

21. DESIGNING & WRITING THE
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
"The research problem within this study
"Justification for the problem (based on past research and
practice)
"Shortcoming of past research or practice
"The importance / significance of the problem

22. CASE STUDY
On
THE HOBBIT’S Choice
Restaurant
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

23. Major Problems
•To identify and define the problem.
•To decide the areas of research
•To know the current market condition
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

24. formulation
•Jeff Dean is about to open a new
restaurant and have to research about
the all the possible concerns such as
demand, supply, competitive forces etc
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

25. Identification and interpretation
•New to the market
•How to locate and promote
•What operating strategies should be
adopted
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

26. findings
•The problem was clearly identified
•The areas of research were not
completely covered
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

27. THANK YOU
What is
now my
problem ?